Cocoa farmers advised to provide permanent shades

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Manager of Cocoa Health and Extension Division of the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), Francis Antwi Adjei, has stressed the need for cocoa farmers to retain trees on their farms to provide shade for young cocoa plants.  

He urged them not to cut down all trees but follow the appropriate method by ensuring that for every acre of cocoa farm, there are at least eight trees left upright to provide shade in it. 

Mr Adjei gave the advice during an address at a regional farmers’ education and sensitization rally organised by the Regional Cocoa Health and Extension Division at Nkrankwanta, in the Dormaa West District of Brong-Ahafo. 

The rally was aimed at sensitizing them to issues relating to their farms and the need to take advantage of incentives like the cocoa mass spraying and free fertilizer distribution being provided by government to improve their farming activities for increased yield. 

Mr Adjei stressed the need for the farmers to provide temporal shade by cultivating plantains to give shade to young cocoa trees while planting trees like Ofram to offer permanent shades. 

GNA